Alex Cora Addresses Red Sox Slugger's Comments About Desiring Trade

Boston has blocked a player who deserves a shot elsewhere

Scott Neville | Jun 26, 2023

Alex Cora Addresses Red Sox Slugger's Comments About Desiring Trade /

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Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox have a player who was very candid to the media about his situation last week, seemingly acknowledging that a change of scenery appears to be the best course of action with the Major League Baseball trade deadline approaching on Aug. 1.

Red Sox corner infielder Bobby Dalbec was mashing in Triple-A Worcester before his recent call-up but still does not have an everyday role open in Boston.

The Red Sox are committed to Triston Casas as the future at first base and superstar Rafael Devers anchors third base. Dalbec addressed the logjam when speaking with MassLive's Christopher Smith.

"Eyes on the big-picture, I don’t know if there’s necessarily a lane for meaningful opportunity for me with the Red Sox right now,” Dalbec told Smith. “So just trying to be consistent down here. And if that happens, it happens. I can’t control that. I can’t go make the call or call someone else and say, ‘Hey, I need to get out of here’ or anything like that. It’s just not how it works. I don’t have that power. So I’m just going to continue to try to be the best version of myself down here and be a part of whatever team I’m on, which is this team right now."

Red Sox manager Alex Cora was asked to address the comments, and seemed very aware of how Dalbec was feeling.

"He sees what’s going on here," Cora told Smith. "He expressed his opinion. But at the same time, he belongs to us. He’s with us."

Instead of avoiding the situation, Cora appeared to confirm that Dalbec would prefer to be moved barring an unexpected everyday role in Boston -- which would require multiple injuries at this point.

Dalbec has impressive game-level stats for the WooSox but still has an asinine strikeout rate and limited defensive capabilities despite his versatility. Still, he could help a low-payroll team in a platoon or utility role and will be worth at least a mid-level prospect or underperforming but toolsy player.

At this point, it would make almost no sense for either side if Dalbec was still in the Red Sox's organization on Aug. 2.

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Published Jun 26, 2023

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu